Switch box



Nov. 26, 1929. E. T. HAGIST' I 1,737,235

SWITCH BOX Filed June 6, 19214 v INVENTOR ,Z'm/ nerd /$2 B Y M TTORNE yPatented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATEfi PATENT OFFICE EMIL T. HAGIST, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,.ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THOMASE. MURRAY, JR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW/V YORK SWITCH BOX In electricdistribution systems it is customary to provide switches and cut-outswit-h connections for meters and for house wires and to enclose these ina box or casing so designed that the fuses can be replaced only when theswitch is open. This is for safety and also to prevent the stealing ofcurrent. My invention aims to provide a box cover for use in connectionwith such fuse and switch mechanisms. The accompanying drawingsillustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan of a boX in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same with the cover lifted; I

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the inside of the cover in the position ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the upper part of Fig. 1.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the box 1which carries the fuse and switch mechanism is provided with a cover 2hinged at 3 and having a flange 1 which comes down over the edge of thebox. At the opposite end of the cover there is an opening 5 adapted toregister with another opening 6 in the end wall of the box for thepassage of a sealing wire or lock.

Within the box there is located an arm arranged to rotate about avertical axis indicated at dotted lines at 8 having at its end a socket9 which receives a threaded fuse block 10. The other mechanism in thebox is not illustrated, being well known and being possibly of any oneof a great number of arrangements. lVhen the arm is rocked to theposition shown the switch or switches within the box are opened. Whenthe arm is rocked in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1 the switcheswill be closed.

The cover of the boxhas a raised central portion 11 at the center ofwhich is a pivot 12 carrying on its inner end a lever for operating themechanism. The lever is shown in Fig. 3 and comprises an arm 13 with aflange 1 1, (Fig. 2) adapted when the cover is down to embrace the endof the fuse socket 9 as indicated in dotted lines. The lever has ahandle passing up through the cover, the portion 15 being on the insideof the cover and the oper- Application filed June 6, 1824. Serial No.718,326.

atin portion 16 on the outside. It is stiffened by a rib 17 stamped intothe sheet n etal of which it is made. This rib 1'? is so located as toprevent full ciosing of the cover 2 if the switch should be closed andthe shutter set for the open position. In Fig. 1 the location of the rib17 is shown dotted for the position of the shutter corresponding to theopen switch, and the location of the fuse 10 is shown for the closedposition of the switch, assuming the switch to have been closed whilethe cover 2 was lifted. When the cover 2 is crought down (with theshutter in the open position and the fuse 10 in the closed position) therib 1? will strike the fuse 10 and prevent bringing the cover fully downand will thus apprise the operator that either the shutter or the switchshould be shifted to brin the fuse into register with the flange opening14 of the operating member.

The handle passes through a segmental slot 18 in the cover of sufficientlength to permit it to swing in one direction to the position shownadjacent to an upright open stop 19 or in the opposite position adjacentto a second upright closed stop 20 on the top of the cover. The handleis apertured and the uprights 19 and 20 are also aperturcd so that ineither position the handle may be tied to the adjacent upright andsealed or locked there.

On the outside of the central portion 11 of the cover and rotating alsoon the pivot 12, is a second cover or shutter 21 which has a flange 22surrounding the raised part of the cover. The handle 16 passes throughan opening in the outside shutter 21 which closely fits the handle sothat the shutter must turn with the handle. The shutter has an opening 3which registers with the opening formed by the flange 1 1 of theoperating lever. The raised portion 11 of the cover has also an opening24rwhich in the position shown registers with the openings in theshutter and in the operating lever respectively. Thus, when the cover islowered with the flange 1 1 engaging the fuse socket and the parts inthe open switch position of Fig. 1, the fuse can be withdrawn throughthe several openings. A ssuming the cover still down, the turning of thehandle 16 to the opposite position will swing the fuse socket to a pointbeneath an imperforate portion of the cover and close the switch; theopening 23 in the outside shutter swinging with the operating lever andfuse socket. In this position the switch is closed and access must beprevented from the outside. The provision of the outside shutter makesaccess absolutely impossible through the opening 24 of the cover. If itwere not for this outside shutter, it is conceivable that a wire couldbe introduced through the opening 2% and through the narrow space leftfor necessary play between the cover and the operating lever and accessthus obtained to some of the contacts within the box. But the out sideshutter, particularly with its flange depending around the raisedportion of the cover makes the insertion of a wire in this way out ofthe question.

The invention is shown applied to a switch and fuse mechanismen'iploying a single fuse.

t may be applied also to a plura r with a correspondin number ofapertures lay of fuses,

like 24 in the cover or the casing aud a corresponding number of outsideshutters, either as separate plates or as a single plate with thenecessary number of apertures like 23 to re ister with those in thecover. The shutter my invention is useful in connection with rious otherswitch mechanisms where it is desired to open or shut the apertures inthe cover as a switch is opened and closed, respectively whether thefuse sockets be movable or be otherwise rendered accessible. And whilethe invention is shown applied to an ordinary movable cover, yet it willbe understood that it is applicable also to various other parts of thebox which might in a general sense serve as covers for the mechanism.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail a certainembodiment of i invention, yet it is not to be understood there fromthat the invention is restricted to the particular embodiment disclosed.Various modifications ma 7 be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is r 1. A casing for switch and fuse mechanism including anapertured cover and a shutter on the outside of the cover adapted to beconnected to the mechanism and to uncover the aperture when the switchis open and to cover it when the switch is closed. said cover having araised portion in which the aperture is located and-said shutter havinga flange sur rounding such raised portion of the cover.

2. A casing for switch and fuse mechanism includ'ng an apertured cover,a shutter and means for opcratively connecting said shutfor to said fusemechanism so as by its movement to bring the fuse socket into registerwith the aperture in the cover and at the same time to uncover saidaperture and to move the fuse socket out of register and at the sametime to cover said aperture, said shutter in the covering positionhaving a portion overlapping said aperture on the outside.

3. A casing for switch and fuse mechanism including an apertured cover,an operating member mounted on the inside of the cover for opening andclosing the switch and a shutter operatively connected with saidoperating member so as to close the aperture in the cover when theswitch is closed and to uncover said aperture when the switch is open,said shutter in the closing position having a portion overlapping saidaperture on the outside.

4. A casing for switch and fuse mechanism, including a fuse socket, saidcasing having a cover for opening and closing the casing, said coverhaving an aperture through it, a sliding shutter on the outside of thecover and movable therewith and having an aperture in line with the fusesocket and an operating member on the inside of the cover operativelyconnected with the shutter, said operating member at ,pted when thecover is closed to engage the fuse socket and when moved by said shutterto bring the fuse socket into and out of registry with said aperture inthe cover.

5. ll. casing for switch and fuse mechanism, including a fuse socket,said casing having acover for opening and closing the casing, said coverhaving an aperture through it, an outside shutter pivoted on the coverand having an opening adapted to be moved into and out of register withsaid aperture, a lever on the inside of the cover pivoted about the sameaxis as the outside shutter and having a handle passing up through thecover and engaging the outside shutter, said lever having a part adaptedto engage the fuse socket and to move the same into and out of registerwith said aperture.

6. A casing for switch and fuse mechanism having a hin ed cover with anaperture through it, an apertured shutter on the outside of the coveradapted in one position to have a solid portion overlying the apertureso as to prevent access therethrough to the inside of the box and inanother posit-ion to have its aperture overlying that of the cover andmeans for operatively connecting said shutter and said mechanism so thatwhen the shutter aperture overlies that of the cover the fuse isaccessible and the switch is opened and in the reverse position of theshutter the switch is closed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

EMIL T. I-IAGIST.

